Dredge



May 31, 1932. I A M, LOCKETT 1,861,349

DREDGE Filed June 8, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 gw@ e E..

May 31, 1932- A. M. LocKETT 1,861,349

` DREDGE Filed June 8, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheekl 5 Patented May 31, 1932 entre!) STATES OFFICE ANDREW M. LOOKETT, OF lNEWTIOIRJIIELAJBTS, LOUISIANA, *,ASSIGNOR'TO ..lVL .LOCKETT`& COMPANY, LTD., OF NEWORLEANS, LOUISIANA, CORPORATIONTOF LOUISIANA DREDGE Appli'cation'fled June 8,

This .invention relates to dredges or-excavating-machines, and particularlyhas to do with hydraulic dredges utilizedfinhandling sand and gravel -or other similarmaterial.

`5 The principal object of the invention is to produce a simple, eiicientand durable machine which will. rapidlyand effectively. re- Vmove the material lbeing handled'from ".the -bed or deposit. and convey the same toapoint I of discharge.

Another objectief the invention:isthepro- .vision of a device of. this character in which all bearings are fully protectedand are not exposed .in fany WayV tothe 4material* being 1I dredged orrexcavated, and Wherein'the drive .of ther-excavating element is confmed lWithin a bath of lubricatingmaterial Further objects ofthe .invention will tbe apparent from .a reading of 4.the 'following 20 specific description, WhentakenV in connection `with the accompanying drawings Whichform a part of this application:

In the proposed construction ofmyidevice I employ. a fluid motor which servesnotonly ""25 to. act-nate the excavatingelement oncle-ments but `in which the Water 'utilized .for driving the motormay be subsequently employed/for discharging the excavated material. In d0- ingthis, the partshave'been soarranged that the drive between themotor. and the excavating elements -is notexposed'to theuabraisive action ofthe material beingiexcavated s and the shaft which drivesi-the excavatingrelement is only exposed to clean fluid thereby avoiding theusual wvear encountered in Ythe operation of `similar devices.

The invention consists of structural characteristics zand relative. arrangeinent` oit "elements, .Whichvvill be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed outinzthe appended claims.

In the two sheets ot' drawings, in 'which similar reference characters indicate Vthe same parts vin the several figures of the drawings, V Figure 1 is a side elevation'ofthe-apparatus;

'Figure Qis a fragmentary vertical sectional viewftaken on 'line' II-II of AFigure4;

Figure IS is` a vertical sectional rvieW taken Online lll-Ill of Figure'l;

1929. Serial yNo.4 369,484.

Figure iisahorizontal sectional viewtaken on linefIV-IV/ off.Figure .1;

`Figure isiavertical sectional View taken throughthe motor on line 'V-Vcf Figure l;

LFigurerGris a fragmentarysideelevation of .the discharge Apipeprovided with a valve.

Figures 7.. and 8 are frontend side Velevations,` respectively, ,of Yaufmodified form of means` for'zremoving obstructions from the Linterior of :the dredge andwoperating Vthe idred ge 5: and,

#Figures 9 and 10 are side `elevation and '.ragmentary iplan views of. a'furtherlmo died -iorinfl'orsaine .purpose s asFFigures 6 andf?.

`vReferring fmore.. .particularly Ito fFigures -1 -vand iofithe drawings, f1 have shownfxan elongated easing generally indicated. at 10 'which fis divided into :three .different sections, 10a, 10 ,.and'109. ."The section 10, as shown, isprouvidedivvitha flange' 11y atits lower=en`d Which ycorresponds Withzla `lflange y12 on the upper zeiid1df thefsecti'on 10b, Whilethe section 10b is also. fprovided Ywith a flange? 13fat .its -loW- 1 er: end corresponding with asimilar flange 14 Lonthe' .lower section 10C. These f'flangesare respectively connected together in `anyfsuitableimannenasby bolts lor otherwise, V4and .preferably have :arranged 4between them .suitable p'acking'so as to rprovide for fluidtight connections.

Withinthe section 10a islocatedla bearing sleeve 515 having'at'its lower end anannular laterally extendingf'lange'fl itting between :the flanges 11j andI '12 .and separatingfthe; an- -nular compartment' 17 in the section 10f'fron1 the eompartment'lS in the section 10". `At Atheupper end offthis sleeve 15 I secure' there- 'to a suitable packing gland 19 and fittedlwithin this gland is a tubularsl1aft20=\vhich=pro jects'through abearing sleeve 21 in'thefsee- 4tion 1()c which also carries `aipaclringgland Q2 similar to the gland ,'19, said" bearing sleeves.' 15 and 21 beingfprovided with re- `mmfable fvvearl collars47 f and packing 48, i as shown in-Figure 2.

lThe section 10a, as shown, is-spaced a considerable distancefrom `the outside-Wall of .the sleeve 15,` Whilethe section 10c closely fits the Ashaft 20, thus providing fthefclosed compartment 18 `which houses the main Worm gear 23 surrounding and secured to the shaft 20, as shown in Figure 2, by stud bolts 49, or in any other suitable manner.

Interposed between the worm gear and the upper end of the section 10C are suitable thrust bearings 24, while similar bearings 25 are interposed between the upper end of the worm gear and the flange 16. These bearings may be of the ball type or of the roller type and both sets, as well as the worm, preferably operate in a bath of heavy oil or similar lubricant.

Secured to one side of the section 10b is a housing 26 which extends laterally of the casing, as particularly shown in Figures 3 and 4, where it has formed integrally therewith a motor housing 27. This motor housing has journalled therein any suitable type of rotor 28, mounted upon a shaft 29 which is journalled in bearings at the outer end of the motor housing 27, at the end of the housing 26 adjoining the motor housing and at the opposite end of said housing 26, the bearings being indicated respectively at 30, 31 and 32. As shown in Figure 3, I preferably make the motor housing of two sections, which may be joined together in any suitable manner, and attach the inner half of the motor housing to the housing 26 by lag screws 33, and provide in the inner half of the motor housing a discharge chamber 34 which communicates with the annular chamber 17 through a discharge pipe 35, as shown in Figure 1. The drive shaft 29 of the motor, therefore, eX- tends through the chamber 34 and bearing 31 into a chamber 36 in the housing 26 and there carries a worm 37 which meshes with the worm gear 23 on the tubular shaft 20.

I preferably provide a packing gland 38 to prevent leakage of oil or other lubricant from the chamber 36 into the discharge chamber 34 and also to prevent ingress of water into the chamber 36. I also have shown the worm provided with a thrust bearing 39 arranged between said worm and the bearing 32'so as totake any end thrust on the shaft 29.

The upper end of the tubular shaft 20 is shown provided with a discharge nozzle having gradually tapering walls so as to produce a restricted eXit or discharge orifice of somewhat smaller diameter than the discharge orifice of the section 10a. The discharge nozzle is indicated at 40 and the discharge opening of the section 10 is indicated at 41. The relation of these two parts is such that an annular attenuated passage 42 of gradually .diminishing size is produced so that the iuid discharged from the pipe 36 under pressure into the chamber 17 in a large volume has its volume considerably decreased at its point of exit, but its speed materially increased, so as to produce an action corresponding to that of a Venturi tube and suck the excavated material through the restricted throat 43 of the discharge nozzle 40 into the discharge pipe 44 of increasing cross-sectional area, which is preferably removably secured to the upper end of the section 10 by means of bolts 49, as shown.

Secured to the lower end of the tubular shaft 20 is a collar 45, see Figure l, having one or more cutter blades 46 secured thereto which revolve with the tubular shaft and loosen the material being operated upon. These blades are, as shown, constructed with a suitable pitch so as to throw the material inwardly toward the receiving end of the tube and thus place the material in position to be acted upon by the suction produced by the ejector action.

If desirable, the discharge tube 44 may be provided With a valve section 50, as shown in Figure 6, so that in the event of the tube 2O becoming clogged with roots or other material incapable of passing the restricted throat 43, the gate valve in section 50 can be closed and all of the water discharged from the motor and annular discharge opening 41 into discharge pipe 44 will be forced downwardly through throat 43 into nozzle 40 and the tube 20, and thus effectively dislodge and discharge from the lower end of said tube 20 all such material.

While I have designed this device especially for under-water excavation, such as is required in open caissons for bridge piers and the like, I wish it to be understood that the device is capable of use in hydraulic dredging of all kinds and can be effectively employed in dry sand or gravel excavating where there is suiicient water to discharge into the pit for liquefying the material.

In the operation of the device, as thus disclosed, water under pressure is forced into inlet of the motor and impinging against the blades of the rotor 28, drives the shaft 29 and through the worm 37 and worm gear 23 the tubular shaft 20 is rotated, thus causing the cutters 46 at its lower end to loosen the material and draw the same inwardly toward the inlet of the rotating tube 20. After driving the motor, the water is discharged into the chamber 34 and through the discharge pipe 35 into the annular compartment 17, where it is, as before stated, discharged through the restricted passage 42 into the discharge pipe 44 at an extremely rapid rate of speed, thus producing an ejector action and drawing the material loosened by the blades 46 up through the tube 2O where it mingles with the water from the chamber 17, and is discharged through the pipe 44 at any suitable point.

It will be noted that the chamber 18 is eifectivel7 se arated from the chamber 17 il and also from the chamber 34 so that the gearing necessary to drive the tube, namely, the worm 37 and worm gear 23, are effectively isolated from the material being handled and from the water used Vfor power.

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It will also Y 3 be noted that none of the material being handled comesw into contact with theV collars 4 7 ot the'bearings ofthe tube 20`and the shaft 29 is also protected from anything but clean water which passes from the discharge of the motor through the chamber 34- and into the pipe 35'.. Thus-all ofthe parts are effectively protected against wear, with, of course, the exception ot the nozzle and tubular shaft 20, which I preferably make of special wearresisting metal and secure to the tube 2O in suchmanner that it may be readily removed. and replaced at low cost;

It will be readily seen that a situation may arise when it might be desirable not to use. the WaterA driving the motor 27 to rotate the suction. tube or shaft 20 in series but have independent water connections tothe ejector and motor, asshown, for example, in Figures 7 and 8, in which a pipe 5l supplies water under pressure to a Y-connection 52 having one branch 53 provided with a valvev 54I com nninicating with and controlling supply to the motor 27, as shown, The other outlet ot the Y-connection 52 communicates with a seccharge of the motorv27, while the other and lower outlet ofthe Y-connection 57'is1in communication with a downwardly exten-ding discharge pipe 58,V which may lead to the excavationA orl bod-y of water'being dredged.

Interposed between the Yeconnections 52,.

55 and 57 and discharge pipe 58`are pro-y vided valves 59, and 6l, as clearly shown in Figure 6, which will permit the iiow and path ot the Water supply under pressure en:-

" tering into pipe 5l to beV diverted, as follows:v

It the valves 59 and 6l are closed and valves 54. and. 60v are open, the water supply under pressure will pass through the branch pipe 53', through the motor 27 and operate the same and rotate suction tube 20, and the discharge water'of said motor 27 will pass by means of branch pipe 56', connection 57,.

valve 60, connection 55 and branch` pipe. 561

intothe compartment or annular chamberlf fore explained, and the discharge water from;

the motor will pass through the pipe 58- to' the bottoml of the excavatiomwhile the ejec'- tor. or compartment or annular chamber i7 surrounding the rotating nozzle 40 will receive a. supply of: water under .pressure di;-

rectly `trom the supply pipey 51, as. be clearly understood and needs no further explanation.

It the. valve.y 56 in discharge pipe 44 and valves 54 and 60l are closedfand valve 59 is opened, a direct supply ot water under pressureY can bef made to enter intotheannular chamber' 17 and any obstructions i-n the suc'- tion` tube 20 can be" blownfouuas will'v be nea ily understood..

In Figures 9 and 16' areV shown a simil-air arrangement of piping and valves for removing obstructions in the discharge pipe of a dredge of the. typea-s shown, for example, in former U. S. Patent No.V 80,225, to James Robertson, dated. July 21,1868, in which 63 represents the float. or scow'., 64 the: discharge pipe having its lower or inlet end 65: properly' supported in the bottom of the river by suit:- able rigging166, as. is common in this class of devices. 67 is the pipe which supplies the supply ofwater under pressure into the lower end ofV theV ejector 74 attached to and at bottom otsaidl discharge pipe 64,. said ejector being preferably of the Venturi type, as shown, and needs no further disclosure.

Said. discharge pipe 64 and Water pressure supply pipe 67 areput in communication with each other at their' upperI sections by means of. a branch., pipe-68",. said pipes 64,67 and. 68V being interconnected by Y-connections 69aud 70 and provided with controlling values 71, 72: and 73 arranged withrespect to. each other in said pipes 64. and 67 and disposed as` toi the connection ofthe Y-connections 69and 70;, as shown, so that it valves' 7lv and-73 aire'vopen and valve 72 is. closedtheI water supply under pressure in pipe 67 will How to the lower or inlet end of.' the ejector' 74, andE in. so doing draw into the lower' end 651- oii the discharge pipe. 64. any loose material which may be ad-l jacent to. said end',A and` force the same tol beentrafin-ed: and'. lifted by the upward? move.- menti orf said water in said ppe164 and dis-- charged and deposited in said scow 63, which' operations are well. known and need no fue' ther explanation. v

Should any' material bei drawn: into and be lodged in the lower end 65 ofthe discharge pipe 64 or the' ejectorA 74,A the valves 71 and 7 3 are closed and the valve 7.2 opened, when the water under pressure is permitted to How from the water supply pipe 67 into pipe 68 and down the discharge pipe 64L and exert a pressure on any obstructing Vdbris in said pipe 64 and ejector 74 -and quickly and eilioiently blow the same out through the. opening at theA lower end 65 andr thoroughly cleanfout the cooperating passagesr in said1 pipe 64- and ejector 74.

By closing the valve 72` and: opening theV valves 7l and. 73, the dredging operations can be resumed without in any way disturb'- ing the adjusted positions or. requiring; tof be= dismantled any of the cooperating parts of the dredge.

What I claim is:

l. In an excavating machine, a casing,

5 means for dividing the casing into compartments, driving mechanism including gearing arranged Within one of the compartments, a rotatable suction tube extending through said I compartments and connected to said gearing, m and means for discharging a power fluid into the other of said compartments and discharging the same therefrom, said discharged fluid producing a rarefaction in the rotatable sucd tion tube to draw material into said tube and L discharge the same therefrom.

2. In an excavating machine, a casing, means dividing said casing into separate compartments, a fluid motor carried by the casing, a rotatable suction tube extending lo through said compartments, gearing from the motor to said tube for rotatably driving the latter, said gearing arranged in one of said compartments, and a discharge from the u motor leading to the other' of said compara ments and arranged to discharge therefrom and produce rarefaction Within said tube.

3. In an excavating machine, a casing, a rotatable suction tube passing through said casing and having aV reduced end arranged Within the discharge orifice of the casing, a

'4o partition dividing said casing into separate compartments, packing and bearing elements carried by the partition and casing, a rotat able tube passing through said packing and bearing elements and through said partition, 4* said casing having a discharge aperture, a

reduced end of said tube arranged Within but spaced from the Walls of said discharge aperture, a fluid motor carried by said casing,

gearing connecting the motor With said tube jat one side of said partition, and a discharge from said motor leading into the casing on the opposite side of said partition and arranged to pass through an annular discharge aperture around said rotatable tube to produce rarefaction therein. l 5. In an excavating machine, a casing, a partition dividing said casing into separate compartments, packing and bearing elements carried by the partition and casing, a rotatable tube passing through said packing and bearing elements and through said partition, said casing having a discharge aperture, a reduced end on said tube arranged Within but spaced from the Walls of said discharge aper- 5 ture, a fluid motor carried by said casing,

gearing connecting the motor with said tube at one side of said partition, a discharge from said motor leading into the casing on the opposite side of said partition and arranged to pass through the discharge aperture around said tube to produce rarefaction therein, and a cutter blade carried by and rotating with said tube and constructed to loosen the material being operated upon and draw the same toward the axis of said tube.

6. In an excavating machine, a casing, a suction tube rotatably mounted in said casing, a fluid motor connected to rotate said tube, a source of motive fluid, means for diverting and controlling a portion of said motive fluid for driving said motor and sucking material into and discharging the saine from said rotatable tube, independent means for diverting and cutting ofi' another portion of said motive fluid to suck material into and dis charge the same from said rotatable tube independent of the motor, and means for cutting off the supply and discharge of motive fluid.

7. In an excavating machine, a casing, a suction tube rotatably mounted in said casing and provided at its inlet end with cutters, a fluid motor connected to rotate said tube, a source of motive fluid, means for diverting and controlling a portion of said motive fluid for driving said motor and sucking material into and discharging the same from said rotatable tube, independent means for diverting and cutting off another portion of said motive fluid to suck material into and discharge the same from said rotatable tube independent of the mot-or, and means for cutting off the supply and discharge of motive fluid.

8. In an excavating machine, a casing, a suction tube rotatably mounted in said casing, and provided With cutters at its inlet end, a fluid motor connected to rotate said tube, a source of motive fluid, means for diverting a portion of said motive fluid for driving said motor, and independent means for diverting another portion of said motive fluid to suck material into and discharge the same from said rotatable tube.

9. In an excavating machine, a suction tube having an inlet and a discharge, an ejector cooperating With said suction tube for sucking material into and conveying the same through the discharge of said tube, a pipe for conveying fluid pressure to operate said ejector, a branch pipe interconnecting said fluid pressure pipe and suction tube, valves arranged and disposed in said suction tube and pipe for conveying fluid pressure to the ejector with respect to said branch pipe interconnections between said fluid pressure pipe and suction tube, to enable when said valves are opened or closed in certain predetermined order to either supply fluid pressure to the ejector and through outlet of said suction tube lfor the normal operations of the excavator, or cease the operation of the ejector by shunting the supply of iuid pressure into and out through the inlet of said suction tube to dislodge and remove any obstructions lodged within said suction tube.

10. In an excavating machine, comprising a fixed discharge pipe having its inlet end provided with a passage of increasing crosssectional area, a hollow casing having its out let end detachably connected to the inlet end and communicating with said passage of said discharge pipe, a suction tube rotatably mounted in said casing and having its discharge end in proximity to said hollow casing outlet and inlet end of said discharge pipe, a fluid motor connected to rotate said suction tube, and means whereby the fluid for driving said motor is conveyed within said casing and around said suction tube and utilized to suck material into and discharge the same from said rotatable tube into the inlet end and passage of said xed discharge p In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

ANDREW M. LO CKETT. 

